1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to agricultural seed planting implements and to the furrow opening assemblies thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Farmers utilize a wide variety of seed planting implements, including seed drills and planters. In a known type of planting implement, seed planting or row units are attached to a toolbar extending transverse to the direction of planting. The toolbar is coupled to a tractor or other work vehicle suitable for pulling the planting implement along a field that is to be seeded to a crop. Each planting unit includes a ground penetrating assembly, often including one or more discs, for opening a seed trench or furrow in the ground as the planting implement is pulled across a field. Components of the ground penetrating assembly shape the bottom and sides of the seed trench, and a seed metering device provides individual seeds at a controlled rate for deposit in the seed trench. Furrow closing components of each row unit close the seed trench in a controlled manner.
One of the first functions in the planting operation is too open and form the seed trench. Typically this is done by utilizing side-by-side disks that are angled to form roughly a V there between and which pierces the soil to begin the trench forming process. A forming point, usually from steel, is mounted between the disks to form and establish the lower boundary of the trench thus formed by the opening disks. In operation, the disks deflect significantly when they are displaced through the soil to open the trench. The disks, in this deflected state, abut one another and can abut the forming point. In time, the wear between the metallic parts makes it necessary to replace the forming point and disks. Such an operation is expensive and complicated since it involves a substantial disassembly of the trench forming apparatus.
What is needed in the art is a simple and effective way to accommodate wear in a trench opening assembly of a seed planter.